Day After Tommrrow
by Kinrutarose
Summary: What difference can two small girls make? Quite a bit if you're Hitomi Sohma, and Miya Sohma. The two twins of both the rat, and the cat, they have the uncanny ability to hold the zodiac without their transforming. As time passes, these bitter rivals beco
1. Look My Way

Day After Tomorrow

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Faruba. What I DO own are both Kyo, and Yuki's…overprotective to say the least, twins. Their names are Hitomi (Kyo's sis, Tomi-chan for short), and Miya (Yuki's sis, also Ayame's sis, which is a huge duh for actual fans of Faruba). And any and all poems that pop out of my head at the beginning of the chaps, which will probally be the chap name. Anyways, I am co-authoring with a friend of mine that's an exceptional writer, but isn't signed up on Fanfiction…or any other fanfic site. So it is my duty to deliver her writing to you, along with my own. This first chapter is mine, so yeah, in your face God-Wanna-Be! (Tis one of my nicknames for her, deal with it until she comes up with a penname.) Enjoy, and don't forget to review!

_**Come my way,**_

_**Come close to me,**_

_**I'll be with you I'll be with you,**_

_**Calling out Can you hear me? Yes no?**_

_**So come my way Look my way**_

_**Just so I know you feel me, see me,**_

_**Come my way so I know you know that I exist…**_

_** Come My Way, by me.**_

Chapter One: Look My Way 

A small girl, no older than 4, watched curiously as her mother pulled up Kyo's sleeve for the millionth time that day, just to look at his beads. She'd been told by Shigure-kun that Kyo's OTHER form was frightening, and that their mother was trying to protect her, but she knew that wasn't the reason. Her mother wasn't that cavalier. She knew that her mother was a coward in reality, not even wanting to know her own son, to see him for who he was, because of this curse. She hated her mother for it, but Kyo seemed to seek her approval, so she tolerated her mother's presence. Her father's as well, he was also a coward. But a cruel one. In his fear, he'd strike out his frustrations at his innocent son, whom had been chosen to bear this curse against his will. Her mother looked to her with a warm smile, changing from her broken, fake smile that she gave to Kyo.

"Hitomi-chan? Come play with your brother darling," she said softly, and when the two had stood side-by-side, not much difference in their looks, their mother smiled. "I love you both so much."

Hitomi almost cringed. She knew her mother was lying. She wondered if Kyo knew it too. It was because they looked alike that her mother even was wary of her. Hitomi was twins with Kyo Sohma, the cursed cat. Their hair was a striking orange color, and their eyes were only thing different about their looks. Although Hitomi DID look more feminine, she had brown eyes instead of her brother's harsh red orbs. She never cared much for that though. Twins should look JUST alike. That girl, the one who was twins with that dumb rat, looked just like HER twin. Violet eyes and all. Why couldn't Hitomi look like Kyo? Was it so wrong for her to love her brother, even though he was the cat? Though she was younger, she took Kyo's hand and led him away. Away from that house that smothered them, the very air in that house was killing them. Killing their souls anyways. Knowing that your parents are afraid of you does something to a child, and knowing that your twin is in great pain because of that, also does something to a child. When that child realizes that they can do NOTHING for the person who shares their face. The person who completed them from birth. The person they were destined to stay with forever.

They went outside, Kyo following with a happy expression on his face. He loved his sister very much, and wondered why she resented the scorns from people passing by in the Main House. He'd come to live with it. But Hitomi didn't. she hated all of those pitiful excuses for human beings, because in her mind, they had done a very bad wrong on Kyo. They were family, yet they looked through him, like glass, and only acknowledged him when he was being blamed for being inferior to 'Sweet, Talented little Yuki.' She led them to Kagura's house. It was one of the only refuges she ever sought out. Kagura was like a big sister to her, and she adored Kyo with an unhealthy passion, yet adored Hitomi the same way, only gentler. She'd even seen Kagura threaten Kyo into promising to marry her.

"Kagura-nee? Are you home?" Hitomi said in a sweet, innocent voice. Kagura's voice floated to the outside with a happy tone. It was obvious that she loved the two family outcasts. But partially, they were only outcasts because both looked like the cursed cat, while one wasn't cursed, and could hold the cursed ones without hesitation and without their transforming.

This had been apparent when Hitomi had hugged Kyo after they'd been yelled at by their father, only months before. This prompted Yuki and his twin, Miya, to try to hug each other. But when THEY did it, they weren't treated as oddities. They were treated as royalty. They weren't scorned for Miya's ability to hug the Sohma's that were cursed. And Yuki was still praised, and now the family could ALWAYS be heard saying how 'precious', and 'sweet', and 'just perfect' the two were.

"Yes? Oh! Kyo-chan! MY LOVE! And Tomi-chan too! Come in! Ritsu's just in here helping me with a dress! Can you believe he said he'd wear it more than ONCE?" Kagura tittered happily, giving Kyo a huge bear hug, then continuing to hug and talk to Hitomi. Hitomi smiled. She welcomed Kagura, Ritsu, Momiji, Hatori and Shigure with open arms. They all cared about her and Kyo. Ritsu wasn't her FAVORITE of the bunch, but she enjoyed his company nonetheless. But if HATORI had been there, the four-year-old would have been deliriously happy. Hatori, being 14, was like a God in Hitomi's eyes. He was always trying to explain confusing things that they'd learned in their Middle School. It confused Hitomi to no end, but she nodded and smiled, listening all the while.

Kyo, during those times, normally played with Kagura or possibly Ritsu, since Hatsuharu and Momiji were too young to play really, they were only three. They couldn't play his and Hitomi's "Big Kid Games". Which normally made Momiji cry, and Kyo would get agitated at his constant whining. And Hitomi would have to calm his nerves, as usual. Not many could boast to calming the fiery Kyo's temper, but Hitomi could. She knew him inside and out. No one was closer than that pair, even though the family would SWEAR that Yuki and Miya were. Kyo had always felt resentment to Yuki, because that's how things were. The rat and the cat were BORN hating each other. But he felt no resentment to his twin, Miya, whereas Hitomi did. Miya was just as fawned over as Yuki, if not more, since she looked JUST like him, acted JUST like her elder and very popular brother Ayame, and was JUST so much better than Hitomi even though the only difference between them was that Miya was sister to the rat.

A man came running up to the children as they played, disturbing their bliss. He was huffing and puffing like he'd ran the whole way, then tears fell down his face and he hugged Hitomi, but she noticed like everyone else that the man gave Kyo a wide birth.

"You poor thing…your mother…she's dead. She was very sick, and she couldn't get better, she just died while she was napping a little while ago…you poor thing, to be cursed by having the cat as a twin, and look what misfortune has befallen you…" the man consoled to deaf ears. Hitomi felt no remorse. She was sad, as every child should be, that her mother was gone. But she was to an extent glad. She and Kyo no longer had to be smothered by a false sense of love. She knew, somehow without reason or inkling as how she did, that what their mother had shown them wasn't love, love was different. Love is what Shigure and Hatori showed them. The kindness and tenderness that was felt between people is what Hitomi experienced from them, and she adored them both very much. They didn't really speak to Kyo too much, so he never got those things from them.

At the funeral, Kyo and Hitomi stepped outside to cry, not wanting anyone but themselves privy to their despair. Hitomi, not as much sad about their mother as she was for how badly Kyo took it and how people blamed him for her death, cried on his shoulder. He leaned his head on hers and their orange hair mingled, 'Two as one,' as Shigure would say Hitomi thought. A man came up behind them as they wept, and put hands on both their shoulders. They looked up to see a man with a kimono and gray hair with dark, warm brown eyes staring down at them. He smiled.

"I'm Kazuma Sohma. If you'd like, Kyo, Hitomi, I'd like it if you came to live with me," he offered. Kyo was a bit wary, but Hitomi latched onto a person she didn't even know, just for the sake of he saw them for them. She could tell somehow that he was being sincere in his want of them. He didn't want to use them, nor did he plan on just taking care of them, but raising them, as normal parents and normal people did. Hitomi didn't know why, but her body craved the stability that her subconscious knew he could give them. Kyo, upon seeing his sisters' acceptance, took Kazuma's hand with a stony, tearful glare.

"IT'S NOT OUR FAULT! IT'S NOT OUR FAULT SHE DIED!" Kyo yelled at him, clarifying what the man knew. He nodded with a smile, petting the back of a crying Hitomi's head.

"I know Kyo…I know…won't you both come stay with me?" Kazuma answered gently, leading them away. As they passed houses, people whispered about how Kazuma was taking in the "cursed children".

"Poor thing…and so young too! To have to take in the cat and his cursed sister. What a shame," one woman said as they passed. Another agreed and nodded. They didn't even seem to care that the children, looking down in shame, could hear them. They didn't want to burden Kazuma with their reputation that they didn't deserve.

"Those kids were hard on their father, but I'd never wish them on poor Kazuma-kun!" the other said. Kazuma smiled at the two, and lifted them up, one in each arm and laughed.

"From now on," he started, looking at both children, "You two should breathe the air of higher places."

Hitomi smiled and laughed with him, and Kyo's face just melted into a sweet smile. And from there on in, they lived at the dojo with Kazuma.

Hitomi, Kyo, and Kazuma were all taking a bath, and Hitomi was clinging to Kazuma's arm, as if for dear life, even though she was in no such danger. She looked into his eyes and smiled. In the time that they'd shared, Kazuma had taught Kyo and Hitomi so much. They'd learned what trains were, and they learned patience and strength of the soul along with regular karate. Kazuma had always said that Hitomi was better at patience though. But he also said he'd pity the person who came between her and her brother. Kazuma smiled down at her as Kyo looked at them tentatively.

"H-Hey, you're a Shishou, right? On TV they were calling a karate instructor "Shishou", so you're a Shishou, right?" Kyo ventured. Hitomi smiled. She was wondering when Kyo would ask. They'd drawn straws earlier that day to ask that very question to Kazuma, since they'd both watched a karate movie that morning. Kazuma laughed and petted Hitomi's head again. He'd grown that habit since the first day he met them, petting Hitomi that is. She didn't dislike it either, she actually was happy that Kazuma was so comfortable with her around him that he did that little gesture of affection without even thinking.

"I suppose so, but I've never asked my students to call me that," he answered. Hitomi sighed sadly, and Kyo's face fell a little while he thought. They let the matter lie, and then went onto dinner. They were 6 now, and it was two years later since living with Kazuma. One OTHER thing Hitomi learned to do was cook, and cook well. Their caretaker leaved much to be desired in his cooking.

"Ah! What are we eating tonight, Tomi-chan?" Kazuma asked, Kyo nodded, straightening his black pajamas. She smiled and cocked her head, her white silk pajamas ruffling at the gesture. Both pairs were too big for the children, as in the two years he'd had them, he'd offered to get them new pj's instead of his old ones that he didn't use anymore, but they refused every time.

"I'm making nira-tama! But that's just for Papa and me! I'm making codfish for you Kyo-chan!" Hitomi smiled, then trotted off to the kitchen, only to be heard screaming. Kazuma and Kyo both sprung to help her, but at the doorway, Kyo froze. Hitomi sat crying in front of a burn mark on the door that scared both her and Kyo. Kyo had almost forgotten about it himself. Kazuma swept them up into his arms like he usually did, and kissed the top of Hitomi's head to calm her down, then rested his forehead on Kyo's own.

"It's nothing to be afraid of. I'm sure it will stop being scary…when your bodies…and your hearts…get bigger…" Kazuma said reassuringly to them both. Hitomi nodded with finality, pledging to herself that she'd get over her fear of the face on the door. Kyo nodded as well, and dried his tears, 'for his sister's sake', or so he said.

The next day, Kyo and Hitomi came home from school, Hitomi clinging to Kyo the entire time, and they saw him talking with some students. They both peeked around the corner of the gate to the dojo and watched him talk. He spun around, looking at them with a warm smile at the ready.

"Shi…Shishou?" Kyo said meekly. And Hitomi smiled weakly. She didn't like to be seen much by Kazuma's students. They always fawned over how cute she was for some reason.

"Papa?" she said just as meekly as her brother. He looked at them with warm eyes. He knew that Hitomi was more open to the idea of his being their foster father, and Kyo was just now starting to open up. Nonetheless, he was happy they were. And in front of students no less.

"Welcome home, you two," he greeted with his usual warm smile. Their faces brightened and Hitomi ran to give him a hug, which he gladly accepted. Kyo, on the other hand, just smiled and stood by him loyally. Afterwards, Kazuma spoke to them about a matter that he'd been informed of from Hatori and Shigure. Ayame at that point, didn't truly care about his brother Yuki, and was all too much devoted to his sister Miya.

"Hitomi. It's come to my attention that you don't play with the girls your age. You play with Kagura and Ritsu. As much as I like to know you enjoy your family, you need to socialize with all the other children. I heard that Miya went to your school, while Yuki's being home schooled. You should play with her," Kazuma offered, while chewing the sushi that Kyo and Hitomi had prepared for the small family. Hitomi froze, and Kyo sensed her discomfort. Even though truthfully, he didn't want HIS sister playing with that dumb rat or his sister Miya.

"NO! She's the RAT'S sister! IT'S ALL THE RAT'S FAULT THAT KYO HAS TO BE MADE FUN OF! IT'S ALL THEIR FAULT THAT PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF ALL THREE OF US! IF THEY HADN'T BEEN BORN, THEN KYO AND I AND EVEN YOU PAPA WOULDN'T BE MADE FUN OF!" Hitomi protested loudly. She'd never raised her voice to Kazuma before, and he decided to drop the subject, he'd let Hatori convince her to give Miya a chance. He didn't think it was healthy for Miya to dread school, and to rush home to see her two brothers, then spend the rest of the day tagging along with Ayame, Shigure, and Hatori. Although he knew that Ayame and Shigure enjoyed her immensely, and even Hatori liked the small child that was so sweet and energetic, but he also knew that they were aware that their constant presence was making her grow up too fast. Just like Hitomi. They both needed a friend their age, one that could ALWAYS play, not just when the family wasn't around to taunt, or when their brother wasn't being quarantined for sicknesses. He sighed and continued eating. Then they went to bed after their group bath, as always.

"Papa?" Hitomi said softly, peeking around Kazuma's door when Kyo had fallen asleep. He patted his bed mat and smiled, ready to hear her latest nightmare, but was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and started crying.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to get so angry. It's just…Yuki and Miya were always loved by everybody…I don't want my Papa to love them more than me and Kyo too, just like everybody else…" Hitomi pleaded. Kazuma was taken back. He'd never heard Hitomi seem so sad. She was REALLY worried that he would hate her. he wrapped his arms around her small form and petted her head again with reassurance and kissed her cheek.

"Don't worry. Papa will always be there for you. I'll never leave you or Kyo to fend for yourselves Hitomi. Papa will ALWAYS love you two best. Now, do you want to sleep here tonight? Or do you want to sleep with Kyo?" he questioned softly. She looked up at him, her dark brown eyes sparkling with happiness and she wiped her tears away with a tiny fist. She latched onto his kimono and smiled.

"You, Papa," she said simply. He nodded and lay down with his little girl in his arms, and he watched her a bit longer as she slept. His eyes focused on her small little form curling into a ball and wiggling up close to his own. He smiled in spite of his normal self-control, as always with Kyo and Hitomi, and laid an arm protectively over her, then fell asleep. They were content, but he wanted more for them. He wanted them to live like normal children, and find happiness. So he resolved, as a last thought before he closed his weary eyes, that he would ask Hatori to get Hitomi to meet Miya. Even if they didn't know how much they needed each other, he did, and he was bound and determined to see his little girl have at least one friend besides her family and her brother.

**An: Mwah ha. Done. Please review! Next chap will be a peek into Miya's life! It will have Hatori, Ayame, Shigure, and Yuki in it mostly, with a little Akito violence thrown in. bottom line, despite what Hitomi thinks, Miya's life isn't peachy keen. Especially since she and Yuki get beaten and whipped by Akito, and while one of them gets attention from their brother, the other doesn't. so yeah, it will be a tearjearking chap(not really, since when I write those, I cry and can't see the screen), which will end in a not-so-nice ending. But the chap after that, Hitomi and Miya will meet and become friends, since Hitomi will try to comfort Miya, when Miya won't let anyone near her….uh…yeah, you'll understand…forewarning. You WILL hate Akito even more than you do now, after Miya's chap….review please!**


	2. Alone and Afraid

**Day After Tomorrow**

**Disclaimer: Hey yall! I tis back! Didja miss me? No? Oh well. I don't own Faruba, but I DO IN FACT own Miya, Hitomi, and all that entitled. Yeah, I don't know STRICTLY what that means, but I was told to write it. Ok, so this is a peek into Miya's life now. Tis gonna be a sad one. Hope ya like it! And Kaikai (another nickname for my said friend that is helping me with this) will be writing something…soon. Or I won't continue. She WILL write. I swear she will. I will MAKE HER! x (this is an angry me sign) I shall hit her with the trusty mallet of doom!**

**()() And this is the mallet. And I will have yet another poem at the beginning. Ok, yeah, I own that too. So bye, read n' review! Enjoy!**

_**I was afraid of darkness cause I felt, that I was left alone**_

_**So I prayed for help from the distant million stars**_

_**And then I realized I wasn't alone, you're here too.**_

_**One sound, one soul, one body we share, but our minds are so far apart,**_

_**You're reaching out for me but I can't reach you,**_

_**Please hold on, I'm coming, don't give up on me darling,**_

_**I know that I'm not alone anymore, because you're here with me always.**_

_**Not Alone, by me**_

Chapter 2: Alone And Afraid 

Miya was sitting compliantly by her mother as she looked through some papers. She was sorting things again, as she normally did, while Miya stared longingly between both the door that was open to expose the outside world, and the door that concealed her brother Yuki. She wanted to be with Yuki very much, but her mother and father never seemed to want them together. They were only together when Ayame was babysitting them and not really watching, or when their parents were too busy to deal with them. But they were always punished later.

Miya didn't mind though. She figured that life being beaten was better than knowing your mother didn't like you completely. She'd heard while walking with Ayame the previous night that Kyo, the cursed cat, and his sister Himiko weren't liked by even their own parents and that their parents had refused to acknowledge them. The family members at the time had said that was the only way to deal with those 'evil, cursed brats.' Miya wondered if they'd have said that once they knew she was there. When they had spotted Ayame and herself, they'd smiled warmly and fawned over how good of care Ayame always gave her. Miya had just smiled then, for she truly loved Ayame. In her mind, he was the ideal big brother. But even so, she was filled with guilt and remorse because Ayame refused to act like Yuki even existed. Shigure had once told her to not worry about it, that they'd come around in time. But Miya was wondering about how MUCH time would it take?

"_You worry too much Mi-chan! You're so sweet, and I know you don't want anyone left out, but things will get better. Just you watch! So don't worry anymore, it'll make you get wrinkles!" _Shigure had said with a laugh. But she wasn't so sure. She loved all of her family, even the violent Akito, and yet she had a typhoon of emotions swirling around in her tiny body. She felt fear for them, worry, love, hate, guilt, and yet she kept herself obedient to a fault, and could be told to do something and everyone would know she'd do it. She just couldn't make herself say no. she always wanted to please everyone, though that normally backfired. Unless she was with Yuki or Ayame, she felt unsafe, and she normally did something wrong or was so upset that she couldn't function. That's why she hated school. It took her away from Yuki, who had always been in and out of sickness, and then she'd come home to find that she couldn't see him anyways. But then she'd just wait faithfully on the porch steps to Hatori's house that he kept by himself, waiting for Shigure, Hatori, and Ayame to come home. And she always greeted each with a smile and a hug. With this thought in mind, she looked to the clock impatiently. It was getting close to the time that they were coming home.

She tugged on her mother's sleeve and whimpered a little. The woman looked down icily to her and made her shiver a little, unable to ask her question. Her mother looked at her with dagger eyes and her hair fell over her shoulders and fanned out on her blouse. Miya's hair did so in the same fashion, but her hair was a molten silver color like Yuki's, and her eyes were both golden and violet, almost like she was the embodiment of both her brothers. For some reason, Miya's mother had always resented her, well not really always, just when she found out that Miya could hug the cursed, and she couldn't. she'd always resented her for being able to hold her brothers', when their own mother couldn't embrace them without them transforming.

"What do you want? Going to run off with Ayame and those damn freaks he calls friends?" she asked coldly, an edge to her otherwise soft voice. Miya nodded. She'd come to accept that her mother didn't like Shigure and Hatori. Or any of the other zodiacs for that matter. She didn't even call Yuki by his name. Only Ayame. For some reason she excused Ayame from her torment, probally because he kept away and out of her hair, never asking for anything and solving his own messes.

"Then get! It's not like I want you here!" her mother snapped. Miya smiled happily and scampered off in her kimono. She wore the one that Ayame had sewn for her in Home Ec., and it was pink, with white cherry blossoms on it.

Her long molten silver hair floated behind her in the air as she ran happily to Hatori's house, but when she got there, she saw THEM waiting for her on the porch with huge smiles. Ayame opened his arms wide, and Miya laughed and ran into him, knocking him down with a huge hug. She buried her face into his long light silver, almost white, hair and giggled as Shigure tickled her sides. She looked up adoringly to Ayame and smiled. She felt safe again. No one would hurt her if she were with Ayame or Yuki. Everyone liked them too much.

"How was my favorite little sister's day?" Ayame asked, lightly rubbing his nose to her own. She giggled again in a happy delirium, and her tiny hands gripped his shoulders as she sat on his lap. But as the question sank in, and they were obviously waiting for an answer, she looked down into his lap.

"Ok…" she said softly as her face fell. They all could tell that something bad had happened to her and Shigure and Hatori both put their hands on her comfortingly.

"You don't SOUND ok…did the kids at school tease you? Or was it Akito?" Shigure asked gently. She nodded. She knew that both had been the cause of her torment for the day, not only that, but her mother and father as well.

"Yeah…everyone at school made fun of my hair and my eyes and said I was strange looking. I told them I couldn't help the way I was born, but then they just laughed and some of the boys tried to hit me…but the teacher came before that happened…and Akito-san…Akito-san just told mommy that I couldn't see Yuki until t-tonight…" she said, shivering a little, remembering the events that were due to come later this evening. Hatori turned her face to meet his own by holding her chin, and looked into her violet-gold eyes. He'd always thought they looked like a starburst. With so many shades, and constantly changing in the light. He wondered why any child could find fault with this face of pure beauty, even though she was only 6.

"Don't listen to those kids…and as for Akito…I'll try and see what Shigure and I can do. Why don't you and Ayame go for a walk around the gardens?" Hatori asked, more of an order than a question. She nodded weakly, almost to tears by this point. They all knew there was only one thing that scared her so badly. And that was the idea of getting whipped and beaten by Akito again. Yuki and she had been through so much in that respect. Both had always been picked on by Akito, and yet Akito claimed that Miya was his favorite family member. He was the head of the family at only age 12, but no one could ever question his true motives. Ayame nodded and picked her up into his arms, snuggling her tightly, and walked away as Miya watched over her shoulder as Hatori and Shigure talked seriously and then walked away in a rush. She didn't know what they were talking about, but she was worried that it was about her, and she didn't want to be a burden to them or to worry THEM.

Ayame, Shigure, Hatori, and Yuki were the only ones who ever stood up for her, since she was too shy by herself, and they always protected her from whatever they could. Yuki had even taken a few beatings from their mother to save Miya from getting hit. She sighed and leaned onto Ayame's shoulder as he carried her along, humming as he walked, then he broke out into a lullaby that he always sung her to sleep with.

"I wish to you sunshine, my dear one, my dear one. And treetops for you to soar past. I wish you to innocence, my child, my child. I pray you don't grow up too fast.

Never know pain, my dear one, my dear one. Nor hunger, nor fear, nor sorrow. Never know war, my child, my child. Remember your hope for tomorrow.

My prayer is simple, my dear one, my dear one. May you never need understand. My prayer is for peacetime, my child, my child. Live it well, and this life can be grand…" he sang.

His soft, even words soothed her nerves and she relaxed enough where he put her down so she could walk beside him, while holding his hand. There were always a few people who came specifically to the gardens to watch them, and sometimes talk with the brother/sister pair. It unnerved her to a point that people were so insistent on talking to them, since they weren't really THAT much different. Ayame had always liked the attention, especially from the ladies, though. So Miya put up with it, if only to see her brother flash his charming smile again. It could be said, the Miya worshiped her elder brother to an extent. He was her sun and moon.

But Yuki was always her stars, and the very air she breathed. She went outside to play often because HE asked her to. HE, being too weak and sick most of the time to enjoy being a child, asked her to play FOR him. So she did. She often times did many things she didn't like. Of course she adored Ritsu, Kagura, Momiji and Hatsuharu, whom had just met Yuki and they were now friends, but she really only wanted to spend time with Yuki. They had so few precious moments together, but Miya always snuck into his room at night, and would talk to him until one of them fell asleep. If Yuki slept first, she'd creep back to her room, but if she fell asleep first, Yuki would carry her to her room and tuck her in. There was no doubt that much love was lost between the two. Miya was snapped out of her daze-like thinking by someone's voice and realized that they'd asked her something.

"Are you going to go with Ayame-kun to the fair? You'd like it a lot!" one woman said with a smile. Miya shrugged, mostly because she didn't know, but partially because she didn't want to talk to this person. She didn't know her, and she only spoke to the few Sohma's that she cared very much for. It took a lot for Miya to open up to people, unlike Ayame, whom opened up his life story in about five seconds. Ayame gave her a squeeze and smiled with a nod.

"Yes, we are!" he chirped. Miya was happy now. She'd made her brother smile again. He smiled so few times in reality. If he did smile, it was a fake, superficial one. But his real smiles were a sight to be seen. She adored them. They were gentle and sweet, with no strings attached. The woman smiled warmly.

"You're so lucky to have a brother like Ayame-kun! You must be so happy!" she smiled. Miya nodded, still silent. Ayame dragged her away for some reason after the woman turned icy for no reason, and Miya was worried that she'd made him angry. But as they walked away, she knew why he did so.

"What a strange girl! She never talks to anyone who isn't a zodiac!" one woman said. They didn't seem to care or notice that she could still hear them.

"Uh-huh. Doesn't she ever talk to normal people? Ayame-kun is nice company no doubt, but why doesn't she try to make friends her own age? It's very SUSPICIOUS that three 16-year-old boys would want to spend time with a 6-year-old girl. VERY suspicious…" the other remarked. Miya stiffened. This rumor was often circulated through the Honke. That Shigure, Hatori, and Ayame were pressuring her into doing nasty things. They'd never do that, she knew. But everyone seemed to like to entertain the idea for some strange reason.

Ayame seemed to sense her resentment of that rumor and their harsh words, and hoisted her onto his shoulders, and she latched her hands through his silky tresses. They walked a ways, and Miya would lean underneath branches every so often. Ayame stopped at one point, and plucked a small, pink cherry blossom from a branch and tucked it into Miya's soft silver hair. She smiled fondly at her elder brother. He didn't know how much she needed his support. If he had ignored her like Yuki, then she'd have broken by now.

Kureno came up to them slowly. Miya was fond of the rooster; there was no doubt of that, because he came to take her to Yuki. But it was a double-sided knife, since he also took her to Akito. She gripped onto Ayame tightly, fearful of the upcoming beating. Ayame swore under his breath, which surprised Miya since he normally didn't use vulgar language. Except the occasional inside joke between he and Shigure. But she thought those were funny anyways. Kureno opened his arms with a weak, almost sad, smile for her to climb into. Ayame took her off his shoulders and handed him to the 15-year-old rooster. Miya whimpered, though she held onto Kureno's white button up shirt for dear life. She felt safe with all the zodiacs, except the cat. She'd never trust the cat or his sister. That was to be expected from the rat and his twin. Kureno walked away and she looked longingly over his shoulder to see an angry Ayame storming off, probably to Hatori and Shigure. They must have not changed Akito's mind after all.

"Are we gonna get beaten worse, Kure-chan?" she whispered. He stiffened, but nodded.

"Akito-san didn't like that Shigure-san and Hatori-san came straight to your aid the minute you showed your fear again…but don't worry…he doesn't have too much energy, he won't hit too hard or long tonight…" he said, as if this was a chat instead of a beating he was taking her to. A small sigh escaped her lips and she leaned her head on his shoulder, tears brimming her eyes. There was really nothing she could do but give in to the despair that washed over her, since she knew Yuki and Ayame, and all the others would never stand up to Akito. It wasn't that she hated him, since when he invited her to spend the day with him, without Yuki, which was torture enough for Miya, he was kind and played with her because he knew she was lonely. But there were two Akito's in her mind.

There was the 'light' Akito, the Akito that played with her and kept her company when she didn't feel like humoring the other Sohma children of the zodiac…and then there was the 'dark' Akito. The one that hurt her and Yuki, the one who took pleasure in bringing pain to the zodiac. That was the Akito she was afraid of. A sigh escaped her lips again, and she felt Kureno shift his head, as if he was looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"What are you thinking about, Mi-chan? Would telling me make it easier for you?" he ventured, uncharacteristically for him. Lately, Miya noticed Kureno becoming more and more secluded from the family, and catering to Akito more and more. He was losing himself, but this was a small glimmer of the old, gentle Kureno who read her stories in the summer, and made her paper cranes to send home with Ayame when she was sick. She wiped her tears away with a small hand and shrugged.

"Why does Akito-san treat me and Yuki so badly? He says he likes us…but I just don't know if he does…there are two Akito-san's…why doesn't let the 'light' Akito-san out more?" she questioned innocently, as only children can. Kureno went wide-eyed, and physically stopped dead in his tracks, only a few yards away from Akito's house, where Akito was waiting for her to arrive since Yuki was most likely already there.

"'Light' Aki- - What would make you think that? No one really knows what Akito-san's thinking, Mi-chan. But he doesn't have two sides…there is only one Akito-san. He just treats you kindly sometimes…and other times…he only hurts you because he knows it hurts Yu- - nevermind. He'll be angry if we delay ourselves anymore…" he said, faltering numerous times, and not even finishing his explanation.

Miya sighed heavily and nodded, being let down and taking his hand as he led her along. They walked up the steps, and their footsteps echoed through the wooden halls. Miya felt tears spring to her eyes. Akito only sent the entire house out if he was going to beat them BADLY. 'So no one can hear your annoying voices scream', or so he explained it. Though she knew that Hatori, Shigure, and Ayame were hidden somewhere out of his earshot, waiting until she and Yuki emerged in their battered and beaten state so they could go home, or stay at either Shigure or Hatori's house for the night. Depending on where Ayame was going.

Finally, they came to the door, while Miya was searching from the corners of her eyes for a flash of the silver of Ayame's hair, the gold of Ayame's eyes, or the white of one of the boy's reassuring smiles. But wherever they were hiding tonight, it wasn't in the main hall leading to Akito's room. Kureno gave one last, pitying look at her, then opened the door in a graceful motion, giving her a small push into the room, then closing the door. When the telltale 'click' of the door was heard, all soul was leeched from her expressive 'star-burst' eyes, since she had given up being saved. Yuki was sitting huddled in the corner, Akito's arm raised, a whip lazily hanging in mid-swing. As it came down swiftly on Yuki, and upon the sound of it hitting his flesh and his small scream of pain, Miya winced.

"Akito-san…you sent for me?" she said, posing it as a question, more than a statement. The twelve year old turned, his face twisting from malice to a sick, fake mask of kindness and joy at seeing her. Though she knew the only joy the 'dark' Akito got in seeing her, was in gaining a new victim to break. A small shiver resonated through her as he kept his icy stare locked on her, and she couldn't stop shivering. A small whimpering was heard, and Miya wondered momentarily if it was hers, or Yuki's. Yuki tried to crawl to her, careful to keep weight off of his left arm, cradling it to his body, and even in the darkness, Miya could see it had been cut open and was now bleeding. The result of a sloppy, not-really-paying-attention strike of the whip. Akito often did that. But only to Yuki lately, for something that she did not understand, and something that none of her three older saviors would ever explain to her why he did not want her body scarred. She knew he wanted her for something. But didn't understand what. When she'd asked Ayame, Shigure, and Hatori once, they'd just taken a hard look in their eyes, told her to wait on the porch, and had stormed off. She remembered that Ayame had been ranting about how' he'd never let that little tyrant lay one finger on his little sister's body. Not ever would he be given her- -'. And then they'd been too far out of earshot. Either that, or Hatori had known she'd be able to hear them, and had quieted Ayame somehow. For some reason, she thought that whatever they hadn't wanted to tell her, was about to happen. Something about the predatory look in Akito's eyes told her so. He kicked Yuki out of the way, since he'd almost gotten to Miya to shield her. Whatever it was, he'd told Yuki. And Yuki seemed to know the importance of it.

This fact scared her. If Yuki wanted her protected from the quickly descending Akito at all costs, it was bad. Whatever IT was. Akito was suddenly standing in front of her, his hands clasped around her shoulders, his nails digging into her soft flesh through the kimono, making little half-moon blood stains on the pink and white fabric. He smiled, a sickeningly evil gesture in the consuming darkness, and his eyes shined with a cruelty that terrified Miya to her core. And then 'it' happened.

Miya didn't know how long it had been, or how long she'd been screaming in conjunction with Yuki's screams of protest. But every time Yuki had come close, Akito had just thrown him against the wall with a one-armed movement again. After how long in once again she didn't know, he got off of her small body, and licked his lips, giving her one last kiss before he walked gracefully out the door and past Kureno, whom it appeared had been outside the door the whole time.

Miya looked up at Kureno's face, tears streaming down her own, as Yuki once again scrambled to her. Kureno had tears brimming at the corners of his eyes, but he blinked them away, and mouthed 'I'm sorry'. But no amount of apologies from her most treasured family members could undo the damage that Akito had wrought. She knew now, what Kureno had meant earlier. There was no 'light' and 'dark' Akito. There was only 'dark' Akito. Head of the family. And her new, self-proclaimed 'master'. What enjoyment had he gained from what he'd just done? She looked back up to the ceiling, tears streaming down her face, as her ruined kimono fanned out around her. She felt Yuki pull it back over her body, trying to preserve what little dignity she had left, but at the small touch, she screamed and pulled away from him, backing up to the wall of the hallway. She clutched her head and curled into a small ball, her back to the wall, and she heard the three pairs of thundering footsteps that signaled that Shigure, Hatori, and most of all Ayame, were coming to her rescue. But it was too late. How could she face them like this? After she'd done something so bad? Akito had called her a 'dirty thing'. And a 'bad, bad girl'. How could she let them see her, if she was those dirty things?

The answer was, she couldn't. So she hid inside herself, her sobs resonating through her small body. She felt a hand caress her hair, and another on her back, and yet another strong hand on her knee, a weight on it, as if someone was leaning on their hand. A brush of longish hair told her it was Ayame who was doing so. But even though she knew who was there, she screamed and pushed him off, memories of Akito still fresh in her mind and her aching body.

"NO! No more Akito-san! No more! It hurts!" she screeched, not realizing that it was Ayame she was talking to. His hands cupped her chin and made her look at him, and even his warm, seeking golden orbs couldn't calm her broken soul. Tears still streamed down her face, and a hard, infuriated look infiltrated his eyes. A dark look, a look like Akito had had moments before.

"Ayame-nii…please…don't hate me…" she begged, still clutching herself, as Hatori stroked her hair, and Shigure rubbed her back. "I'm sorry I'm a 'dirty thing', I'm sorry I'm a 'bad girl', just please…don't let Akito hurt me again…"

"Dirty…Miya! Tell me, what did he do to you?" Ayame raged, taking her shoulders, still bruised from Akito's previous abuse, and shaking her slightly, "Tell me what that little monster did to you!"

"STOP! STOP IT! YOU'RE HURTING HER! LEAVE HER ALONE! GET AWAY FROM HER! GET AWAY!" Yuki screamed, pounding his small fists into Ayame's shoulder, making him move away in shock, while Yuki seized the moment to go to her and hug her. His small size, similar to Akito's own, made her struggle and scream like his touch burned her. When she closed her eyes while she wept and screamed and struggled in his arms, she could only imagine him as Akito. All men were now Akito. How could she trust the people whom had been her refuge for so long now? Would they want to do what Akito had done too? How could she know?

Against her will, since she struggled to get out of his grasp, Ayame plucked her from Yuki's embrace and stalked her out of the house, and she knew by the smell of lilac, honeysuckle, and roses, that they were going to Shigure's house. She had once loved the smell of his garden. But now, it filled her with fear. She'd be alone with them. All four of them. Four Akito's.

"Miya-chan…forgive me for touching you so much…I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you from him…you're going to stay here at Gure-kun's and rest until you recover, understand? I'm not making you go back to mother and father…" Ayame stated, taking her through the open door to Shigure's house, since Shigure himself had sprinted ahead and opened the door for them, and took her to the extra, girly room made especially for her. Hatori had a similar room in his home with his mother. A room for her. She saw Shigure reach above the door to the room, and he brought down a little silver key, which was shaped like a lacy heart, with the key end extending from that. He grabbed a pink ribbon from the dresser, and laced it through the heart end, tying it around her neck, though she flinched at his closeness.

"Now Miya-chan…you don't have to unlock the door for anyone if you don't want them in here…alright? Just lock the door when we leave, and I'll have a maid that used to be my nurse when I was little come in and make meals for you, and give you someone to talk to…is there anyone you want to come over tommrow maybe? A friend perhaps? Someone to make you feel better?" Shigure said gently, his tone so hushed and personal and loving that Miya almost wanted to hug him as a thank you. But she couldn't. She just……couldn't. She nodded softly.

"Kagura-onee…" she said softly, her voice barely a hoarse whisper, due to her earlier screaming and begging Akito to stop. Shigure nodded, and they left her to sleep, though she knew she wouldn't. Since her dreams would be plagued with nightmares.

**AN:** **Ok…yeah…that was…sad. Please read n' review. I'll update soon…eventually…sometime around two or three reviews for this chap. I SWEAR that Miya/Hitomi will meet in the next chap. It'll be a few days after…this happened. Kagura will bring her. But I'm giving away too much. Yeah well…later days, and I hope someone won't kill me for this…I hope you understand the innuendo's though….I really don't wanna explain this one….sweatdrop**


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